British tourists wanted of delays and ‘chaos’ in Spain

Tourism bosses have called for urgent action to avoid a repeat of last summer’s mayhem at Madrid Airport. The Madrid Federation of Travel Agencies said that a “multitude” of flights were missed in Spain in 2022.

The travel bosses warned that “the same is going to happen this year” due to a lack of staff at passport control.

The group has asked Spain’s tourism department to “reinforce the means and resources in these airport controls”.

Tourism bosses fear that more chaos could be on the cards for Britons travelling to Spain this summer.

The presidents of the group said that “means and resources in these airport controls” must be “reinforced”.

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Last summer, Madrid officials said that the airport was “near to collapse” due to long waits at passport control.

Chaotic scenes were also seen at other airports including Alicante, Malaga, Tenerife Sur and Palma.

Iberia, a leading Spanish airline, estimated that around 15,000 customers lost their connection between March and June due to queues.

Spain’s Ministry of the Interior said last year that reinforcements were brought in but denied long queues were down to passport control.

They said the issue was caused by a large number of flights arriving at the airport at the same time.

A spokesperson said: “Passport controls in Spanish airports are police filters that are dimensioned with respect to the flow of passengers and are reinforced whenever it is necessary.”

Britons have faced longer queues at passport control since the UK left the EU as they must have their passport stamped.

British tourists can stay in Spain for 90 out of every 180 days without needing a visa and could be penalised if they overstay.

Britons must get their passport stamped on entry and exit to prove they didn’t overstay the 90 day limit.

Spain is one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations with millions of British tourists travelling there each summer.

Leading destinations include the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Balearic islands, all of which are famed for their beaches.

When it comes to city breaks, Madrid and Barcelona are both top destinations while Seville is a great choice for sun and culture.

Additional reporting by Rita Sobot

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